Cloverdale is a lovely hamlet about 15 minutes north of Healdsburg. Despite its undeniable charm, there has not been a strong food and drink presence there. Yet.

The Mercer folks hope to change that with a bakery and restaurant in downtown Cloverdale named Trading Post Market and Bakery.

Semmelhack outlined many of the reasons for the Cloverdale outpost in the Scoop column, but there’s another fun angle. A big reason that they’ll be able to make the big project happen — it clocks in at 4,000 square feet inside and another 4,000 square feet outside — is due to the efforts of Bear Republic.

As Kevin Fagan reported earlier this year, Cloverdale was placed on a list of 17 communities that, in January, were in danger of running out of water in 100 days. The lack of water also necessitated a moratorium on new businesses. To combat the looming issue, the craft brewery gave $466,143 to Cloverdale for two new wells. The city was able to dig, and the wells would also help the company expand beer operations.

In turn, those new wells have given Cloverdale the infrastructure for new food and drink potential, and Trading Post Market and Bakery — which takes the place of a building that has been vacant for the last three years — is hoped to help herald a new hub.

Semmelhack hopes to have the bakery portion of the operation up and running in three to six months; the restaurant is still looking like 12 to 18 months away.